When will my eSIM activate / when does validity start?Updated 2 days ago
Unactivated eSIMs remain valid for 180 days from the date of purchase and must be activated in one of the supported countries before that time to avoid expiry.
You can scan and install the eSIM on your device while you're still at home, but the eSIM can't activate until you land in one of the covered countries and it has a local network to connect to 📶 This also means that you can't accidentally activate your eSIM while in your home country and your plan won't commence until you're in a covered country and have tweaked your settings, so no worries!
Simply switching your eSIM on won’t trigger activation either. To ensure a smooth connection once you arrive, make sure your device settings are configured as follows:
For iOS:
- Turn on your Simify eSIM, including Data Roaming.
- Turn on Mobile Data, and set it to use your Simify eSIM.
For Android:
- Turn on your Simify eSIM, and set it as your preferred SIM for mobile data.
- Turn on Mobile Data.
- Turn on Data Roaming, and if prompted, toggle it to “All networks.”
After updating these settings, restart your phone. Once it powers back on, it should automatically connect to the local network, and your plan will begin! 🌍
Just a heads up - your eSIM's validity is tied to the exact date and time it was activated, ensuring that you receive the full duration of your data plan.
For instance, if you activate a 30-day eSIM on May 1st at 10:00 AM local time, it will remain active until May 31st at 10:00 AM, precisely 30 days later, based on the same time zone in which it was activated. This structure allows travelers to make the most of their data plan without worrying about expiration or unused days.
Please keep in mind that this only applies to our Unlimited eSIMs. Our fixed data eSIMs can expire even before the plan's validity period if the data allocation has been consumed.